Tools to take your bike customization to the next level

Tools to take your bike customization to the next level

Tools to take your bike customization to the next level

This includes not only easy-to-see parts, like frames, exhausts, and sheetmetal, but also hidden parts like custom axles, steering stems, engine mounts, and so on. I'll be looking at some tools and machines that might interest you if you're planning on taking your crafting skills to the next level.

I understand that not all motorcyclists like helicopters or cafe racers. Just remember that these tools and machines will also allow an adventure biker to make roof racks or crash bars or will allow a sportbike rider to fabricate an exhaust system. The main thing is that all motorcycles are mostly made of metal. If you have the tools and machines to manipulate metal, you can modify any motorcycle to look and function exactly how you want. 

I was fortunate to be a member of one of the last generations to have craft classes available in high school, so I spent several years in auto repair, drafting, and metal fabrication classes. Those lessons gave me a clear understanding of motors, braking and electrical systems, board design, computer aided design, as well as metal cutting, bending, riveting, welding, machining, casting and etc. I was exposed to all the tools and machines needed to do these various jobs, so when I started modifying cars and motorcycles, I started collecting my own. Some of these machines take up a good portion of floor space, but most don't. I built my first motorcycle in a tiny shed with an extension cord running from the window of my old second-floor apartment to power my welder and grinder.

Tools to get started

I'll divide it into two groups: tools for getting started and more advanced tools for when you're ready to take the next step. Let's start with the basics.

Angle grinder

This tool gives you the ability to strip, cut, grind and shape metal with impressive precision. There are tons of different disc and spoke wheels available at every hardware store. I typically use cutting discs and flap discs in different grits depending on the job and the material I'm working with. As for the tool itself, I prefer the 4,5-inch option because I think it's the perfect balance of power and controllability.

Drill

Depending on the task at hand, I will use my portable power drill or my drill press. The drill press is great for accuracy, alignment, and is much easier on your hands and wrists, but it's impossible to drill holes in really large things like frames, and that's where the handheld drill comes in. Battery technology has come a long way in portable drills, but the cost of replacing batteries once they no longer charge usually amounts to the tool itself. I prefer the good old heavy duty corded drill with a nice sturdy handle on the side.

MIG welder

I find that a MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welder can do most of what you would want to do to a motorcycle. It's relatively easy to learn as there is only a single trigger to press as the electricity melts the fill thread as it automatically exits the machine. Two different versions you may see are FCAW (Flux Core Arc Welding, no gas) and GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding, gas). Flux core MIG welders are quite economical. The advantage of a flow core machine is that no shielding gas cylinder is needed and they work really well in windy conditions, like if you had to do some repairs to your truck's exhaust on a windy day. Upgrading to a MIG welder that can connect to a shielding gas cylinder is a worthwhile consideration as I find welds look much better and cleaner with a gas setup.

Bench vice

Unbeatable for holding parts you are welding, drilling or bending. I prefer vises with rotating jaws that also rotate and an anvil surface for tapping things.

Advanced tools and machines

When you're ready to take the next step, like creating your own custom parts from scratch, here are some tools you'll want to consider.

Metal lathe

A metal lathe gives you the ability to make cylindrical parts, such as axles, axle spacers, and steering stems, as well as threaded caps for mounting things like gas tanks, seats, and tail sections. You'll typically see a measurement like 10 inches by 28 inches, which indicates the maximum size of item the lathe can work on. The first number is the diameter and the second is the length. My lathe is large enough to work on most motorcycle drum brake diameters. It's also long enough to give me the ability to work the lowered forks. This machine gives me the ability to run different wheels and front ends on various bikes that were never designed to go together, like when I installed a Ceriani fork on my Triumph off-roader for much better handling. Big lathes can do big things and small things. Small lathes can only do small things. 

Milling machine

A milling machine picks up where a lathe ends. Basically, the lathe makes round things and the mill makes flat things. The truth is that both of these machines can do an unreal amount of things with a skilled operator and proper tools. You can re-mill warped cylinder heads perfectly flat, or bring engine cases back to spec if they've been broken and repaired. I recently used my mill to produce a small batch of spare parts for my van which are no longer available. There's something to be said for a machine weighing more than half a ton that can accurately create parts smaller than a dime. Just like a lathe, a large milling machine can do large and small things while a small milling machine can only do or repair small things.

cutting

There are several types of metal cutting shears, but I find a manual throatless shear to be the most useful for motorcycle applications. This is a great tool that allows you to cut curves and straights. If you plan to fabricate custom oil tanks, gas tanks, fairings, tail sections, seats, instrument panels and the like, a throatless shear makes the job handy. Although this tool looks nothing like scissors, in practice it works just like them, cutting sheet metal like paper.

metal bender

There are a variety of manual metal benders available that range in size from small benchtop ones to large pedestal ones that screw into your workshop. Bending machines typically include a variety of dies in different diameters to create bends with the desired radius. They can also typically bend mild steel and flat aluminum, round solid and square solid up to 180 degrees and have pins that allow for easily repeatable bends. These are excellent for making sissy bars, foot controls, engine mounts and so on.

pipe bender

Not to be confused with a metal bender, but it works similarly. The main difference is that the dies are radiused rather than flat. This is crucial for bending hollow tubing for frames, handlebars, and exhaust pipes. If you try to bend hollow tubing with a traditional metal bender, it will crush and buckle. Tube benders are usually much more expensive, so another option to consider, if you're just making a set of exhaust pipes, is to purchase a tube bender kit like this one from Biltwell . I've built some pretty trick exhausts with this kit by simply cutting sections of pre-bent tubing and welding them together. It's very time-consuming to have to sand the welds to chrome-plate the tubes, but it's a really good option if the cost of a tube bender isn't worth what you might end up using it.

Flattening hammer

Leveling hammers are pneumatic hammers set in a large C-frame with anvils of various diameters that allow you to smooth and shape sheet metal. This is great for making and modifying gas tanks, oil tanks, side panels and other bodywork. They are very noisy and require a fairly powerful air compressor to operate, but the results are truly impressive. Typically you would tap a panel with drop mallets on a leather bag into a rough shape and then take it to the sanding hammer to smooth out the hammer indentations. A common use of a flattening hammer is when shrinking Sportster tanks, to eliminate the flat spot in the center.

TIG welder

Inert gas tungsten or gas tungsten arc (GTAW) welding is similar to MIG welding in that it uses an electric arc to melt the main metal (the part you are working on) but the main difference is that you manually feed the wire filler with your hand in front of your flashlight. Additionally, in most cases, a foot pedal controls the amperage of the arc and therefore the temperature and size of the weld pool. While a MIG welder requires only one hand, a TIG usually requires both hands and one foot.

The advantage of TIG over MIG is that you have much more control over what is happening while you are welding. I also find TIG welding hard to beat for welding aluminum. I work on a lot of old bikes

air-cooled with broken fins on the head or broken cases. TIG welding gives me the ability to truly control the weld pool and filler wire. It's also much easier to switch from AC for welding aluminum to DC for steel. I can also grab different filler wires very easily compared to changing the polarity of a MIG machine internally and changing the filler wire spool or adding a spool gun.

One thing to note is that TIG welders generally always require a shielding gas cylinder, whereas a flux core fill wire MIG setup can be done without a cylinder.

Tools of craft many professions

The benefit of some of these more capable tools and machines is that they allow you to create tools for specific jobs. I have made several instruments from scratch with inexpensive raw materials, which has saved me hundreds of dollars over the years. Plus, I've made quite a bit of extra money doing welding and machining jobs, some of which have nothing to do with motorcycles. So remember that these things can pay for themselves over time.

I hope some of you consider expanding your capabilities by picking up a couple of these tools for yourself.

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